THE successful management of the countrys general elections is praiseworthy particularly against the backdrop of the widespread violence that was experienced before and after the polls. Not only are the elections largely successful, they raise serious lessons for the nation as a whole.It is noteworthy that following the outbreak of violence that preceded the elections; few people gave INEC and the country any chance of success. The low morale thus engendered, received further assault when the National Assembly election was abruptly cancelled on the originally scheduled April 2, 2011 date. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently gave a better account of itself in the conduct of the elections.We congratulate Nigerians on their perseverance, and resilience, and in particular for refusing to succumb to acts of intimidation from those whose interest were better served without peaceful elections.Nigerians are the real heroes of the entire process, given the passion and enthusiasm that they displayed. Voters monitored the elections, with many coming early to polling centres, and refusing to leave until their votes had been counted and the results announced.This election is remarkable also, for the peaceful and orderly manner in which it was conducted. It is instructive that apart from reported cases of ballot snatching, under-age voting, missing names on the register and the inadequacy of materials in some polling booths, the process was adjudged credible and fair. Surprisingly, there was little or no election or post election violence in some states such as Oyo and Ogun, which had earlier been identified as likely flashpoints. Again, the credit for this should go to the people who were more interested in the integrity of the democratic process.Both INEC and the Federal Government also deserve commendation; INEC for stoutly debunking the myth of incompetence on its part, and for its doggedness in reversing growing apprehensions about the electoral process. Government did well to provide money, infrastructure and the enabling environment for the commissions work. The commission certainly showed more promise under its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. More remarkably, President Goodluck Jonathan resisted the temptation to interfere with INEC and in no way could he be accused of seeking undue advantage for himself. In particular, he promised to abide by the elections outcome, and he lived up to his promises in more ways than one. Thus, Nigeria was saved the embarrassment of unnecessary interference by the Presidency, which was a major issue in the past.The elections are far from being perfect, however. There is still an outstanding Gubernatorial re-run election in four local councils and a ward in Imo State, and protests about results in some areas. Nonetheless, the elections received much praise from both local and international observers including the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and non-governmental organisations. This is a marked departure from the past, when Nigerian elections attracted doubt and condemnation.It is regrettable that the announcement of the presidential elections results sparked violence in some states and led to needless destruction of lives and property. It is clear however that the violence was premeditated and fueled by inflammatory statements made by disgruntled politicians seeking power at all costs. The challenge is for law enforcement agencies to unmask the perpetrators of the violence and bring them to justice. The greater challenge however is that of leadership, and the recognition that credible leadership can bring about positive change. INEC has shown this much, and it needs to be replicated at the levels.If anything, recent events indicate that governments at all levels beyond May 29, 2011 have a lot of work to do. There is need to placate those who were unjustly treated or the families of Nigerians who were cruelly slain in the course of the elections. How do we prevent needless killings bordering on ethnic and religious cleansing Besides, these elections have shown a greater enthusiasm on the part of Nigerians. The effect is that political leaders can no longer do business as usual as the electorate have shown that it would be unwise to take them for granted.This election must be assessed also in terms of the remarkable change it seems to have brought to the polity. New power blocs for instance are emerging in the South West and parts of the South East and the North. The legislature, both at the federal and state levels, appears more balanced with observable changes in their composition and outlook. The diversity that has been observed is a clear expression of the peoples choice.It is equally remarkable that many contestants in the elections have accepted their defeat with equanimity and congratulated the victors. Many among those who are complaining have also ruled out any recourse to legal action to challenge the results. Ultimately, Nigerians have spoken, and they must be respected. The election constitutes a major shift in traditional voting patterns in the country. For the first time, Nigerians distinguished between parties and contestants, a development that should be harnessed for nation building. The countrys growth is better assured if the people vote according to their conscience and not for money.We congratulate also the sections and groups in the country who, in the course of performing their normal functions, contributed immensely to the success of the elections. Such groups, including the media, religious organizations and the civil society, relentlessly pursued the ideals of democracy through voter education and the vigilant monitoring of the electoral process. If the country is to have even better organised elections in 2015, the time to start is now. And this should begin with an audit of election 2011 along with concrete suggestions to forestall observed lapses in future elections.
Click here to read full news..
